v\:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)}o\:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)}w\:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)}..shape { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)}st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } Provoking Indeed! Alden’s two articles are peculiar, provoking, and perhaps shallow to an otherwise sure prosperity EASSy big step, as clearly summarised in the article’s first paragraph. While NEPAD[1] and EU are negotiating[2] financing of the project, the author claims, “African governments and World Bank that are being asked to help finance another … this one is called… etc” In real terms (and for conceptualisation purpose), the cited US$ 200 million is far short of the estimated US$ 213 million Kenya alone spends annually educating her children abroad, mainly in the UK, and yet this US$ 200m is the cost for the entire EASSy cable from South Africa upwards to southern Sudan. The author even gets emotive in trying too hard to discredit the project. Please give Africa credit sometimes! The “parastatial telecommunication bureaucracies” is distasteful since parastatals such as Safaricom Limited in Kenya are extremely profitable and other investors should explore similar partnerships with the various EASSy governments? --------------------------------- [1] NEPAD is the Political and Economic arm of the African Union, politics and economics being inseparable. [2] URL http://www.connectivityafrica.ca/HTML/PAREN_investment_report_final.pdf pp. 67 . PS: I have attached my short reaction Alex ----- Original Message ----- From: vkyalo To: 'Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet' Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 8:05 AM Subject: [Kictanet] FW: Interesting and provocative essay on EASSy Good read regarding EASSy, --------------------------------- From: Jim Forster [mailto:forster@cisco.com] Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 7:07 PM To: vkyalo Cc: David Ochanda Subject: Re: Interesting and provocative essay on EASSy Hello Victor, Nice to meet you. I've been following and starting to participate in some issues and activities in networking in Africa. I heard of this essay by Roland Alden and forwarded it to people that I know that I thought might be interested. I don't have any particular discussion group for it; I'm sure you're involved in discussion groups that might be interested in this, so go ahead and forward it and discuss it as you see fit. I did see a reference to Richard Bell's article on a Kictanet archive. I hadn't known about Kictanet; those people might be interested in the essay. In September Richard Bell, the founder of Kenya Data Network, wrote a brief about EASSy, the proposed East African undersea fiber optic cable, which was critical of the planned financial structure. Now Roland Alden, a telecommunications consultant, has written a very interesting and provocative essay on EASSy as well. Here's the opening paragraph: Just say No to EASSy by Roland H. Alden African governments and global institutions like the World Bank are being asked to help finance another telecommunications project. This one is called EASSy (East African Submarine Cable System). While more and cheaper telecommunications is surely needed all across Africa , East African citizens would do well to ask their governments to take a step back from EASSy and find better ways to sponsor telecommunications projects that will result in real progress. As it stands today, EASSy could become a giant step backwards for Africa; and, with a US$200 million price tag, it has the potential of being an economic disaster Africa can ill-afford. I encourage you to read the rest of the essay at http://www.ralden.com/C1/EASSy and would welcome your thoughts on this very important issue. Thanks, -- Jim Forster Distinguished Engineer Cisco Systems San Jose, CA. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/162 - Release Date: 11/5/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/162 - Release Date: 11/5/2005 --------------------------------- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.